Topic: Seventy years ago today...

[backontrack]

The Longest Day for the Greatest Generation...where reals heroes demonstrated courage that most of us cannot even minimally comprehend...thank you...

[Ovaltine Jenkins]

When the notion of greatest generation was first floated, I was a skeptic because of social issues prevalent in America at the time.  But as a WWII history buff, the more I learned the more I came to admire each and every young man who fought in this war at such young ages and who grew to become great leaders and citizens in their own right.  Ironically, the last two Members of Congress who fought in WWII are set to leave office this year.

[whf]

I think Tom Brokaw coined "the greatest generation".  Great thought, but while there are few comparisons to the WWII effort, impact and sacrifice, I believe that there have been other generations as great. Consider the 100s of thousands who gave their life in the Civil War.  Consider the trench soldiers of WWI; appropriately name "The Great World War" at the time.  Consider the Vietnam Vets who fought the first guerrilla war truly recognized.  Consider the thousands of Americans who have served in places like Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc. 

I'd rather us consider the "greatest country" in history; and hope and pray we can keep it that way. 

My father and uncles were in WWII, and just like all wars, they had friends and family they lost. I suspect most of us have been touched by the vets and those lost in that war.  I just don't want them considered "greater" than anyone else who dawned the uniform of the USA; it is all about time and timing.  Hard for me to see one as being greater than another.  There all "the greatest of their generation" IMHO.

[ShawHerd]

Because WWII veterans have a label shouldn't take away from the commitment of all veterans. WWII veterans are disappearing, the level of respect is appropriate.

If my memory is correct D-Day was without  any type of flight support. There was nothing to hide behind and the chance of death or injury was unbelievably high. These 18 plus year olds gave their lives at an enormous rate.

My dad (WWII veteran and POW) was so nervous about the start of Desert Storm. The technology blew him away. We stormed Iraq and only lost 100. I wonder how many lost their lives on D-Day? Like you, I respect anyone who dawns a uniform and puts his/her life on the line.

[goherd24]

Respect all veterans and all sacrifices they make.  Ww2 was a war, the scale of which we have never seen and hopefully will never see again. They literally fought for the freedom of the world from the Axis who sought to rule it all. Vietnam, and the scale of some of the other wars were much much smaller.

And in truth, America wasn't a world player until after WW2. That generation went to war, surprised everyone and literally saved the world. Then came home and proceeded to build and grew America into the greatest country on earth afterwards. They deserve that denotation.

Not many people know about the fake invasion called operation fortitude. That saved so many lives and was ultiamtely vital to D day not becoming disaster day. We tricked the germans into thinking DDay was a diversion and the main force would come later in calais and this kept the german main forces bottled up waiting on an invasion that never happened, giving the allies a foothold in europe before they would realize it. Noel Wild and many others were involved in the planning of that scheme. They saved countless lives.

[marcbuff]

MY uncle landed in Normandy on D-Day with a Polish Army Unit. He was a translator assigned to the free Polish Army. He got a Purple Heart that day. He passed away in 08, a year after my dad who was in the Air Force in WW2. I miss them both.

[hicks37]

I don't want to take anything away from any man or woman who has served in the armed forces. No matter which war they fought in or where they served or were stationed, they have my utmost respect because of the sacrifices they make for our country.

That being said. I think that when people refer to the WWII era as the greatest generation, they are not just referring to the men and women who served. They are also referring to the people who worked the factories, the women who, when the men went into the army, they went into the factories and helped build the planes and tanks and everything else.

They are called the Greatest generation because it was a time when the entire country came together to help defeat Hitler and Japan. You don't see that happen anymore. There are always people protesting our troops and gov. I am sure there were a few people who were against the war, but not like it is today. I think when Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan after Pearl Harbor there was only vote against it. Maybe two I can't remember exactly.

[ShawHerd]

I don't mind when citizens protest our government or our wars. What blows my mind is when they protest our soldiers as they did when our Vietnam troops came home from war in the airports. It takes a low form of life to do so when the soldiers are fighting so the protesters don't have to.

[bbcard1]

I did a lot of work with the fundraising for the D-Day Memorial and got to meet most of the very few living Bedford Boys who lead the first wave of the envision. They were amazing and inspirational men.

[The Right Stuff]

A lot of great thoughts in all posts. 

TRS
MU 71